New Movies February 17: Matt Damon Builds a Wall
by EG
There will be a border wall prominently featured in one of this week's new movies, but it won't be between the United States and Mexico. Instead, it will be between China and some ravenous monsters, and Matt Damon will be manning the defenses. The Great Wall is one of three new wide releases this week.
The big-budget thriller was intended to be an international blockbuster, with a plot that would play well in the potentially lucrative Chinese market and an American star who would boost ticket sales in North America. The Great Wall has taken in about $224 million since it was released in China and elsewhere back in December. It's not expected to do so well in the US, though. Expect it to earn short of $20 million and likely take third place for the weekend.
The second new wide release is Fist Fight, a comedy starring Ice Cube and Charlie Day. Expect this one also to earn somewhere between $15 and $20 million and possibly contend for third place.
The third new movie of the week is A Cure for Wellness, a horror film that isn't getting much buzz ahead of its release. Expect it to earn less than $10 million, making it a long shot for the top five.
The top two movies are likely to be the same as last week, with The Lego Batman Movie staying in first place and Fifty Shades Darker holding on to second. It's possible, however, that the poorly reviewed Fifty Shades will drop off sharply in its second weekend, allowing the newcomers to slip past.